More than a Game
by SYuuri
Summary: For him, it wasn't even a tough call. Post S05x03-Run To Me, so it contains spoilers. S/J. Oneshot.


**More than a Game**

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**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize isn't mine.**

**This takes place soon after the ending scene of episode 3 - Run to Me, so yes, spoilers if you haven't watched the episode. If you don't mind being spoiled, go ahead and read :) **

**Thanks to Trish for proof-reading the story and helping me with some Canadian-related details.**

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Sam forced himself to resist the urge to tap his foot on the floor. If only he earned a dollar for every time the cop standing in front of the room gave him a disapproving look, he would be rich enough to afford a center ice ticket. They both carried badges and were certified law enforcement officers, but she looked at him like he was some kind of a criminal just because he was sporting casual clothes, and probably had been a tiny bit vocal about his displeasure. He looked at the dark screen of his phone, telling himself for the tenth time in ten minutes that staring at it wouldn't magically charge it up.

Jules was inside talking with Maddie and Sarah. It was good to know that the older girl was stable and expected to make a full recovery - probably in a youth detention center. It was unfortunate, but they were still young and had their whole lives ahead of them. Sam just hoped they would be able to hang in there a bit longer until they were free to return to the real world. Seeing the tight bond between the girls, however, gave Sam no doubts. And he knew Jules would try her darnedest to help in whatever capacity she could. Sam knew his girlfriend; Jules wouldn't give up once she had set her mind on something. She didn't give up on anybody, period.

He had come inside with Jules and exchanged some encouraging words with Maddie and Sarah before leaving the room to give them a little bit of privacy. Knowing that Jules was a cop and wouldn't pose a threat to her assigned task, the RCMP officer had followed him outside.

As much as he wanted to wander around the hospital until he found a television, it didn't feel right to leave Jules alone. He wanted to be there when she came out. Sam was being honest when he waved off Jules' concern earlier at the Barn. Playoffs _did_ happen every year, and every year indeed he made it a sworn habit to never miss it, unless they were on a call. Thankfully, almost five years he had been with SRU, and it had never happened.

Though, it _definitely_ wasn't every year that he got the opportunity to watch a live playoff game featuring one of Canada's -it _really_ pained him to say this- finest teams, from one of the best seats he knew he would've never been able to get his hands on unless the General was feeling generous enough to give free tickets away without asking for anything in return, or the earth had somehow tilted sideways and his number came up.

When Natalie came to their home two weeks ago, presenting a large brown envelope to his face as soon as he opened the door, he had been suspicious. Thinking Nat had switched jobs from an assistant manager in a retail store to a real estate agent without telling him, he let her in. Instead of brochures of various new apartment buildings on the outskirts of Toronto, the envelope held the four playoff tickets. Leafs versus New Jersey Devils. Unbelievably good seats in the lower deck. He had even momentarily forgotten his passionate dislike for that particular Canadian hockey team.

He must have looked pretty stunned because Nat laughed for a good five minutes afterward. When Jules joined them in the living room and asked what was so amusing -he still hadn't regained his speech yet- Nat explained the tickets were an early Christmas gift. The first thing came to his mind as to how she had managed to get her hands on the tickets was inappropriate, so he was glad when Jules took over the situation.

His sister had been a tad reluctant at first, but then elaborated that her manager had some connection with the higher ups, knowing people who knew people. He hadn't been exactly pleased knowing Nat had worked her charm -her best feature- to get what she wanted, again. Although, from what his baby sister had divulged to Jules, apparently the 'smile' and 'charm' were genuine this time because the manager was a potential boyfriend.

Still, even coming from Natalie whose middle name might as well be ''Random", the 'early Christmas gift' had come too out of the blue. When he voiced his concern to Jules later on that night, she had looked up from the chicken sizzling on the grill and shrugged, saying Nat probably still felt responsible for the incident with David. She had, in fact, told him specifically to take Spike with them even though they all knew their genius of a friend wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic person when it came to sports. It had been a locker room joke for a week when Spike opened his locker and a Hockey for Dummies tumbled off the shelf.

Back in the hospital hallway, the cop was now looking at her phone, a thumb dancing over the LCD screen. Sam was tempted to ask whether she was by any chance checking out the latest score of the game, but held himself in check.

He was getting anxious and it certainly didn't make him feel any better when the first thing he had seen after stepping out of Maddie's room was a picture of a grinning Spike, Leah and Winnie on his phone - smiling so wide they would put the Cheshire cat to shame. He deleted the text from Spike as soon as he read it because it wasn't something he would be content to have Jules see. They both respected each other's privacy, but it didn't mean accidents never happened.

_Samtastic, aren't you such a romantic sap? It's the Leafs, man, the Leafs! Say hi to Jules for me? _

Sam hoped his friends wouldn't blow things out of proportion at work next week, especially not in the presence of Jules. His hockey obsession had become legendary among his SRU buddies, but he also had his priorities straight where their relationship was concerned. For now, hockey - playoffs or not, four digit dollar tickets or not - wasn't ranked high on his list. And there was no way he would have let her go alone after what she had told him at HQ.

He had casually put his hand on her shoulder the way he would have for anybody and walked away because he hadn't wanted to make her feel more uncomfortable by making it a big deal. She knew though, because as soon as he walked off, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, pressing her face into his arm. It was more than enough consolation. That, and the stolen kisses they shared while waiting for the elevator.

Therefore, he had contented himself by checking out the live blogging from his phone -never had he felt so grateful for the invention of smart phones and internet! Apparently he hadn't exactly been discreet since the cop kept giving him a series of looks, a cross between sympathetic and worry just in case he would suddenly turn violent and create a ruckus.

The looks ended when the phone suddenly went dead.

The last thing he got before his phone failed him was their team had been assessed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct, prompting him to nearly crush his phone, plastic and glass, in his fist. It wouldn't be a pretty sight if he was there in the ACC, and Jules would probably reconsider her decision to go with him to hockey games in the future.

_Probably for the best_, he thought bitterly, _at least this way Spike can't send annoying texts. _

Ignoring the little voice in the back of his head saying at least that way he would still be in the loop -though for the life of him he didn't know why Spike even bothered to text when the game was right in front of his nose- Sam stood up straighter and stared longingly at the waiting room at the end of the hall.

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After another promise to keep in touch, Jules closed the door behind her, feeling much happier and lighter. The female cop waiting in the uncomfortable looking plastic chair by the room stood up, and Jules flashed her a polite smile before the older woman went back inside.

Looking around, Sam was nowhere to be seen. She reached for her phone, wanting to see if Sam had left any messages. The only text waiting was curiously enough, from Natalie.

_Sam blew off the game? I don't know if I ever saw a more romantic I wanna spend my life with u gesture. Not sure if I want to laugh or cry. Srsly. _

It wasn't the most cryptic text she had ever received, and it's not like she and Sam never talked about the future, but the message still made her heart skip a beat. She didn't know how to react to the message aside from agreeing that it _was_ absolutely a big thing that Sam, who could recite all Canadian hockey players from A-Z off the top of his head, missed the playoffs. Feeling a bit more guilty, she walked down the white painted corridor toward the waiting room. She felt bad that he had missed the game because of her, but knowing Sam as well as she did, arguing with him would have proven to be futile anyway.

To her surprise, the waiting room wasn't crowded- far from it. She didn't know what she expected to find, but it's definitely wasn't a handful of middle aged women sitting in groups while chatting in low voice. The TV was on mute, and some reality show was playing instead of the semifinal.

Confused and thinking she had somehow missed Sam, she turned around just in time to see him turn the corner. He had once again worn the navy jacket he had taken off once they arrived. His face brightened up when he saw her, and his grin was almost sheepish.

"Hey, I went back to the room but Sarah said you'd left."

"You weren't outside when I came out, so I thought you probably decided to wait here. The chairs look more comfortable," Jules glanced at the middle aged lady who was nodding off in her chair, her magazine nearly slipping off her lap, and lowered her voice. "I don't suppose they would make such good companions to watch the game though."

Sam chuckled. "I don't doubt that. Sorry, I was probably getting some coffee when you came out. The machine on the floor isn't working. Everything okay with Sarah and Maddie?"

Jules nodded absently, finally noticing two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. They looked uninviting and bland, but she felt her heart constrict. She looked up at his grinning face. "Sam, I really appreciate that you came here with me. I know the game was important for you."

His forehead creased and Jules could see the wheels in his head turning. He probably wondered who on their team had decided to open their big mouth. "It's just hockey. Granted, it's a good seat, but at least you wouldn't have to worry about me yelling at some stupid referee and embarrassing you."

She giggled, touched that even when he was trying to justify his action his reason was centered around her well-being. "And no traffic afterward either."

"Cheaper snacks." Sam added, handing her the coffee.

She glanced at her watch and calculated the time. "Let's go to the Boston Pizza down the block. You can watch the rest of your game and I can have something to eat. I'm starving."

Sam being Sam, he wasn't happy with the solution. "Long day and it'll be nuts there. Are you sure you wouldn't rather just go home?"

"Nah, by the time we get there, you might miss the rest. Besides, I'm kind of craving a Great White North," she took his hand that wasn't holding the plastic cup and pulled him along. "And if we're lucky maybe we'll catch a glimpse of Spike and Winnie in the smooch cam."

Sam raised his eyebrows. While he had started to welcome the idea that his teammate might be seeing his sister, he would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved knowing they had decided to remain just friends. But Spike and Winnie? That was news.

Jules grinned at his expression. "And if somehow your team wins tonight, we can celebrate later," she left the words hanging, giving him the liberty to interpret what kind of celebration she had in mind. "That is, assuming you don't get yourself sick from running around the street bare-chested while waving your jersey in the air."

Sam laughed heartily and she joined in, taking a sip of the coffee. It tasted horrible, but it warmed her just as much as his hand around hers did.

Unable to help herself, she tugged at his hand and pulled him down to her level. The lingering kiss she pressed on his lips certainly caught him off guard, but if he had any problem with the public display of affection, he didn't show it. The elevator door opened with a melodic chime and she broke the kiss, waiting until he regained his senses and really looked at her.

"What was that for?"

She squeezed his hand. "For being you."


End file.
